In hazardous locations, such as NEC Class I, Division 2, IEC Zone I areas, a receptacle (also known as socket) and an electrical plug is required to supply electric power to portable or fixed equipment and/or a machine such as electric motors, compressors, pumps, welding equipment, relay stations. The receptacle holds a switch and the electrical plug enables actuation of the switch to be in the ON position and the OFF position.
Conventionally, the receptacle is installed on a structure and pre-existing electrical cables are introduced in the receptacle through a pre-existing hole provided in the housing of the receptacle. Depending upon the location of the pre-existing electrical cables with respect to the installation position of the receptacle, the pre-existing cables need to be introduced either from the operative top wall or the operative bottom wall of the housing. Hence, in case where the receptacle is placed at the operative bottom with respect to the location of the pre-existing electrical cables, a hole needs to be provided on the operative top wall of the housing for the top entry of the electrical cables and in case where the receptacle is placed at the operative top with respect to the location of the pre-existing electrical cables, a hole needs to be provided on the operative bottom wall of the housing for the bottom entry of the electrical cables.
Hence, while placing an order to manufacture receptacles, it is mandatory to specify whether the hole needs to be provided on the operative top wall or the operative bottom wall of the housing depending upon the location of the pre-existing cables with respect to the receptacles.
In a situation where it was planned that the pre-existing cables will be below the installation position of the receptacle, the receptacle is manufactured with the hole at the bottom wall of the housing. But during installation, either the planned position of the pre-existing cables may be required to be changed and needs to be positioned above the installation position of the receptacle or the planned position of the pre-existing cables was wrongly planned to be below the installation position of the receptacle.
In such case, the manufactured receptacle with the hole at the bottom wall of the housing is required to be closed with an end plug and a new hole is required to be drilled in the operative top wall of the housing. Hence, additional machining is required at the top wall of the housing and additional material is required to cover the hole at the bottom wall of the housing. The requirement of the additional machining and additional material comparatively increases the installation time and the overall cost of the receptacle.
Also, in case if inventory of receptacles is required to be maintained, comparatively more inventory is required for each type of receptacle and inventory management becomes cumbersome.
Hence, there is a need of an electrical receptacle that alleviates the above mentioned problems.